F 369 

. S69 

Copy 1 



SYNOPSIS 






OF THE 



HISTORY OF LOUISIANA, 



FROM THE FOUNDING OF THE COLONY TO THE 
END OF THE YEAR 1791. 



BY THE 



Chevalier GUY SONIAT du FOSSAT, 



Officer in the French Army, who came to New Orleans in 1751 and was 
the founder of the American branch of the family of 

SONIAT DU FOSSAT. 






V 




Translated from the French, at tbe request, and by resolution of the 
Louisiana Historical Society, by one of its members, 



CHARLES T. SONIAT, Esq., 



A descendant of the Chevalier and a member of the 
Louisiana Bar Association. 



' 



t 






SYNOPSIS 



OF THE 



HISTORY OF LOUISIAh, 



FROM THE FOUNDING OF THE COLONY TO THE 
END OF THE YEAR 1791. 



BY THE 



Chevalier GUY SONIAT du FOSSAT 



Officer in the French Army, who came to New Orleans in 175 
the founder of the American branch of the family of 

SONIAT DU FOSSAT. 



;..: 



Translated from the French, at the request, and by resolution o 
Louisiana Historical Society, by one of its members, 



CHARLES T. SONIAT, Esq., 



A descendant of the Chevalier and a member of the 
Louisiana Bar Association. 



PREFACE. 

the 18th of February, 1903, I read before the Louisiana 

ical Society, some excerpts from "A Synopsis of the His- 

Louisiana," by my ancestor, the Chevalier Guy Soniat du 

and at the conclusion of the reading, the Society requested 

resolution, to translate, and cause to be published, the rnanu- 

n full. 

have done, prefacing the work with a short biography 
cestor, and with a narrative of how, in a voyage to 
happened to find the manuscript while visiting the home 
miat Dufossats in the southern part of France. 

CHARLES T. SONIAT. 



9 



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BIOGRAPHY OF THE CHEVALIER. 

Whilst visiting the great Paris Exposition in 1900, I had the 
pleasure of receiving a charming invitation from my cousin, Mr. 
Henri de Pousargues, a General of the French Army, the owner 
of the Chateau du Fossat, the cradle of the family of "Soniat du 
Fossat." 

It is needless to say that I accepted the invitation with pleas- 
ure, and speeded my way to the southern part of France. There, 
in a charming valley, on the banks of the picturesque stream 
called the "Lot" near the junction of the "Garonne," I beheld 
with joy the home of my ancestors. The chateau appeared to me 
a very citadel of strength. Built of solid stone and masonry, it 
had braved countless revolutions and had withstood well the 
ravages of time. The grand old oaks, situated at the entrance, 
seemed to me hoary with age and to have braved the numerous 
tempests that had shaken them. It was in the year 1538 that my 
great ancestor, Francois de Saunhac de Belcastel, look possession 
of the chateau, .which has been continuously owned by the family 
ever since, and he there founded the branch of the Soniat du 
Fossat family, from which I have the honor to descend. 

The General welcomed me most hospitably ; showed to me the 
spacious rooms where the heirlooms of my family were stored. 
Various documents, gray with the dust of ages, were shown to 
me, but I found in them nothing of particular interest, until I 
saw papers and letters emanating from the American branch of the 
family. These I found very interesting, and begged my kind 
host to permit me to take them across the Atlantic, and he con- 
sented with pleasure, with the proviso, however, that same should 
be returned to him as soon as possible. 

Among the most valuable papers found by me in this collection, 
was an old and faded manuscript, written in French, entitled "A 
Brief History of Louisiana," from the foundation of the Colony 
to the end of Miro's administration. 

At first it was impossible for me to determine the authorship of 
the manuscript, as the place where the name of the author had 
been written happened to have been torn. I thought the docu- 
ment to be of little value, until one day I asked Professor Alcee 
Fortier, the worthy President of the Louisiana Historical Society, 
to peruse it, and tell me whether it had any historical importance. 
He thought so much of it as to ask me to translate for the benefit 
of the members of the Louisiana Historical Society a few extracts 
therefrom, especially the Campaigns of Bernardo de Galvez : 
which I did with difficulty, on account of the peculiar hand- 
writing. Before, however, giving my translation, I think it would 
not be amiss for me to say a few words concerning its author. 

Le Chevalier Guy de Soniat du Fossat, founder of the Ameri- 
can branch of the family, was born in the aforenamed Chateau on 
he 17th of September, 1727. He entered the French Army as 






volunteer, in 1746; in 1747 was made Lieutenant in the Regiment 
of Monaco; in 1748 he was wounded at the siege of Maestricht, 
in Holland ; and he continued his service in the French Army in 
France until 175 1, when he came to Louisiana as Lieutenant in 
the Detached Corps of Marines, during the reign of Louis XV., 
at which time the Marquis de Vaudreuil was Governor of Louisi- 
ana. He located at New Orleans and married, in 1753, a daughter 
of Mathurin Dreux, a worthy ancestor of Charles Dreux, the first 
Confederate officer killed in battle during the late war between 
the States. 

Le Chevalier du Fossat was appointed, in Louisiana, captain of 
a Company in 1759; was sent the same year to Illinois, being an 
engineer of ability, to construct and repair several forts, among 
others, Fort Chartres and the Kaskakias, which protected for 
years the Western Colonists. 

He was recalled to New Orleans in 1761, where he continued in 
the service of the King of France, until the 5th of March, 1766, 
when Ulloa, in the name of the King of Spain, came to take pos- 
session of the province of Louisiana, which had been donated by 
the King of France, to the King of Spain on the 3rd of November, 
Seventeen Hundred and Sixty-two' (1762). 

By virtue of a permission granted to him by the King of France, 
he entered in the service of the King of Spain, in Louisiana, in 
1767, and was made Captain in the Batallion of Louisiana, in 
1769, after O'Reilly had assumed control of the Province. 

In 1772, whilst in the service of the colony, he was retired from 
4 active service. In 1775 he was appointed Alcade by Governor Un- 

zaga, on account of past services rendered by him; in 1778 he 
bought from the Urs.ulines Nuns a plantation situated 2 1-2 
leagues below the City of New Orleans, subsequently known as 
the Villere Plantation, made memorable by the battle of New Or- 
leans, and in 1786 he was again reappointed Alcade by Governor 
Miro, and in 1794 he died, and was buried in New Orleans. 
— He was therefore one of the first to sit in the Cabildo, that his- 
torical building that now has so important a place in American 
history. 

From his marriage with Miss Francoise Clodine Dreux, he had 
three sons, namely : Francois Guy de Soniat du Fossat ; Joseph de 
Soniat du Fossat, my grandfather ; and Jean Baptiste de Soniat du 
Fossat, known as the Chevalier du Fossat. The above named 
Francois Guy de Soniat du Fossat had the hardihood to follow 
Governor Bernardo de Galvez in all his campaigns against the 
English. He was present at the taking of Manchac and of Baton 
Rouge, and he witnessed the storming of Mobile and Pensacola ; 
therefore, the campaigns of Galvez, written by the Chevalier Guy 
Soniat du Fossat, perhaps at his dictation, and found among his 
papers in his quondam Chateau, must be true in every detail and 
must command historical respect. 



For signal bravery on the field of batt;e in bhose campaigns, 
young- Francois was made Lieutenant in the Batallion of Louisi- 
ana, in February, 1780, and might have distinguished himself 
more and more in the Colony had he not been called to France by 
the death of his uncle, Le Baron Jean du Fossat, to take posses- 
sion of the Chateau du Fossat, with title of Baron. 

Among other valuable papers found by me, was a memorial 
presented by said Francois Guy de Soniat, Baron du Fossat, to 
Louis XVIII, King of France, petitioning him to decorate him 
with the cross of St. Louis. There I found indubitable proofs of 
•the authorship of the brief History of Louisiana, and it happened 
to be none other than the father of petitioner, because among the 
claims he set up for obtaining said cross, was the fact that his 
father had well merited same, hacf rendered signal services to his 
fatherland and had left a memorial of Louisiana ; and he also urged 
his own individual claims, and among others, the fact that he had 
served the cause of France whilst in the service of Spain. This 
latter assertion puzzled me considerably, until I discovered the 
opinion of Monsieur de Verzennes, Minister of Foreign Affairs in 
France, written to Jean de Saunhac, Baron du Fossat, in answer 
to a question propounded to him as to whether he could will and 
bequeath to his American nephews all his property and his titles 
of nobility in France, notwithstanding the "droit d'aubainc" and 
the prohibition contained in the French law. That opinion, forti- 
fied by one given by Maitre Delord, a French attorney, seems to 
tvarrant the assertion that the military services rendered undej 
one sovereign were not looked upon with disfavor by the other 
sovereign, and did not disbar one from inheriting, according to 
the laws of his own country. 

It might be of historical interest to give a translation of the 
opinion of Minister de Verzennes, which reads as follows : 

"Fontainebleau, October 8th, 1785. 

"I have received, my dear sir, the letter and the memorial 
which you have had the honor to address me. You can, with all 
surety, make the dispositions in favor of your nephews. In con- 
sidering them as Spaniards, they enjoy in France all the advan- 
tages of our citizens ; nevertheless they could not be considered 
as emigrants since they have ceased to be Frenchmen, by the action 
of our deceased King. 

"I am, my dear sir, sincerely, your most humble and obedient 
servant, "(Signed) De Verzennes. 

Mr. Baron du Fossat." 

It will therefore appear that the principles for which Lafreniere 
and Villere had died, were recognized in France, and that the in- 
habitants of Louisiana, though Spaniards in name, were truly 
Frenchmen. 



6 

Bernardo de Galvez himself had served in the French Army 
previous to his advent to America, and he was none the less a 
Spaniard for all that. 

It is with pardonable pride that I tender to your Society, for 
perusal, these old papers and documents which have lain dormant 
in our family archives for centuries, the more so because of the 
fact that it shows that some of our early colonists were not only 
familiar with the sword but could also wield a facile pen. 

I shall indeed be repaid a hundred fold, if perchance I have 
brought out something of historical interest. If I entered some- 
what into the history of our family, believe me it was not for the 
purpose of ventilating the exploits of my ancestors, but it was 
simply to shed some light on events which had happened in the 
early days of our colony and which, in my mind, had always been 
obscure. 

Very respectfully, 

CHAS. T. SONIAT. 



SYNOPSIS OF THE HISTORY OF LOUISIANA FROM 

THE FOUNDING OF THE COLONY TO THE 

END OF THE YEAR 1791. 



DESCRIPTION OF LOUISIANA. 

Louisiana, as comprised within its boundaries, begins at East 
Florida, and ends at Bay St. Bernard ; and this comprises about 
two hundred leagues of coast line along the sea. The depth of 
territory from North to South is barely known beyond eight hun- 
dred leagues in going up the Mississippi River to the St. Louis 
River. However, some travelers, attracted by the prospects of 
commerce, have penetrated as far as the Santa Fe region in New 
Mexico, and they pretend, according to information received, that 
the limits of this territory end at California, on the Western Sea. 
Its latitude, at the mouth of the Mississippi River, is 29 degrees 
and 30 minutes, and finishes at about fifty degrees ; and its longi- 
tude extends to the mouth of the Mississippi River, which empties 
into the Gulf of Mexico. 

THE MISSISSIPPI. 

The Province of Louisiana is watered by a number of rivers, 
flowing into the Mississippi River, one of the greatest rivers in 
the world. It takes its source in marshes at about 800 leagues 
from its mouth, after having traversed the richest and most fertile 
country that can be found. It discharges its waters by means of 
three different passes at a point called "Balize." Its banks form a 
flat country, well wooded, and seldom above the level of the 
water, thereby subjecting the lands to periodical overflows, to such 
an extent that the inhabitants, in order to protect themselves, and 
make their lands habitable, are compelled to build mud-banks, or 
levees, of about three feet elevation with a proportional base which 
can easily hold the waters back ; unless, as is often the case, they 
are bored by innumerable crawfish. Another source of danger is 
from the caving of the banks. 

RIVERS FLOWING INTO THE MISSISSIPPI. 

The principal rivers which flow into the Mississippi are: "The 
St. Louis," known as the "Illinois River"; the "Missouri", whose 
source is unknown ; the "Maramee," the "Kaskaskia," a muddy 
stream; the "Bell Riviere," the "Cherokee," the "St. Francis," 
the "White River," the "Arkansas," whose source is unknown ; 
the "Red River,*' the "Avoyelles," and many others, which, after 
having received several others, are merged into the Mississippi. 
That river is held within bounds, on the right and on the left, by 
hills and mountains, at a distance averaging from two to three 
leagues from its banks, and sometimes near the water's edge. 



These mountains are sometimes ioo to 150 feet high. When one 
has passed beyond the mountains, there are seen, extending to the 
North, immense plains which reach up to Canada, and which to 
the south reach down to Mexico. These plains are strewn with 
flowers and aromatic plants, and at intervals are intersected by 
hillocks, and small groves of trees ; all of which offer tempting 
inducements for cultivation. But the Europeans prefer the lands 
fronting, or adjacent to, the rivers and lakes, on account of facili- 
ties to be had for the transportation of their goods and com- 
modities. 

From the above description of lands, exception should be made 
of about 50 or 60 leagues going up the river where the country 
is flat and surrounded by lakes and impassable marshes, the moun- 
tains beginning only at the distance above mentioned. 

QUALITY OF THE WATERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI; 

The water of the Mississippi, taken at its source, is clear and 
limpid, but not palatable on account of the swampy taste. The 
mixture of its waters with those of the extremely muddy Missouri 
makes it the best in the world. Mississippi river water keeps 
well in jars, and after depositing, it is agreeable to the taste. 
It would seem that the earthy substance contained in these 
waters would incommode travelers who neither have the facility 
nor time to get rid of the mud. Often the deposit is about one- 
third of the volume of water taken. However, there are few in- 
stances in which persons become sick by drinking said water in its 
natural state. On the borders of all the rivers above named are to 
be seen Indian villages. The Indians are often called savages. 
These villages and their population have decreased about two- 
thirds in number since the advent of the Europeans, who intro- 
duced and brought among them diseases, desires, dissensions and 
all other abuses of civilization, heretofore unknown to them. A 
brief history of their manners and habits will be given later on. 

PRINCIPAL SETTLEMENTS OF LOUISIANA. 

The Balize is a small post situated at the entrance of the Mis- 
sissippi river, and is garrisoned by a company of soldiers, sailors 
and pilots, the latter for the guidance of navigators, and they are 
under the command of a commander. The Balize is built some- 
what on the level of the sea, on a moving soil, evidently formed 
by the vast amounts of deposits of wood, vegetable and other 
earthy substances in dissolution, carried in and by the waters of 
the river, all along its banks, for a considerable distance on both 
sides. 

On ascending the Mississippi River, are to be seen, at various 
distances, small farms where cattle are raised and placed on board 
of vessels. It is only about twelve leagues from the mouth of the 
River, where can be seen large plantations, where the ground is 
high and has a certain depth. 



a 

NEW ORLEANS. 

New Orleans is the capital of the Province. Its distance from 
the Balize is about thirty leagues. It is where the Governor- 
General resides, generally. It is pretty well populated. That 
locality was chosen for the seat of government because the 
ground appeared to be firm and solid, and because of the com- 
modity of the Bayou which establishes communication between 
the posts of Mobile and Pensacola ; and it comprises a vast area 
of land separated by lakes of eight leagues, or perhaps a little 
less, in width. Vessels are often seen being towed up the river, 
on their way to discharge their cargoes. The short trip from the 
Balize to New Orleans is very inconvenient and expensive. It 
has often occurred that vessels have taken as long to make that 
voyage as it takes to come from France here. 

The conflagration which took place on the 23rd of March, 1788. 
reduced the city in ashes in about two Hours' time, and it is prob- 
able that it will never be rebuilt as elegantly as it was prior to 
that occurrence. 

MOBILE. 

On the other side of the lake, to the east of New Orleans, is 
Mobile. That post, during the French occupancy, was a small 
town defended by a square fort composed of four bastions. It is 
situated on the Bay bearing the same name.' Its great advantage 
was to be the town warehouse for the posts established in the 
various Indian nations, after having passed from the English to 
the Spanish, by right of conquest, during the last war. 

PENSACOLA. 

Pensacola originally belonged to the Spaniards. It was ceded 
to the English by the treaty of London, and is now of small im- 
portance. It has a fort which is kept for the defense of the finest 
port of the Gulf of Mexico. This port is no longer frequented. It 
was conquered at the same time as was Mobile, by the Spaniards, 
who maintain a garrison there. 



to' 



MANCHAC. 

Manchac was established by the English in the year 1767 to 
protect and defend the right bank of the Mississippi River. It 
had been ceded by the French to the English by the treaty of 
London, with the exception of the island of New Orleans, com- 
mencing at Manchac and ending at the Balize on the same side, 
which was ceded to the Spaniards when they established a post at 
the head of said island to compete with the English post. The 
English Manchac was conquered by the Americans under the or- 
ders of a certain Oulim. It was recaptured by the English, and 



10 

in turn was conquered by the Spaniards in the last war and now 
is held by them. 

NATCHEZ. 

Natchez is a post of no great consequence. It was established in 
the early days of the colony by the French who caused it to 
flourish ; but the avidity of a Commander, by the name of Chapas„ 
led on to the destruction of the very numerous and extraordinary 
tribe which inhabited that part of the colony. The Natchez was a 
very powerful natic: . It worshiped the Sun ; and guarded the 
sacred fires, like the Romans. It was governed by chiefs named 
"Suns," who were despots, governing from father to son, since 
time immemorial. They drew their nobility from the feminine 
side, thereby assuring their chiefs from one and the same blood. 
The custom, prevailing among them, as well as among the nations- 
of the East Indies, w r as to bury, with the chiefs, their wives and 
servants. The Natchez were obedient and obliging to the French, 
who, at their slightest demand, would obtain much help from 
them. But the Commander abused of their kindness to such an 
extent that they rebelled, and murdered the Commander and all 
the European inhabitants. That massacre would have been car- 
ried out through the entire colony had not a Natchez woman, in 
love with a Frenchman, changed the sticks or marks designating 
the day fixed for a general massacre, and agreed upon by all the 
other nations. The warning given by the Indian woman upset 
and confused the conspiracy. The massacre commenced at 
Natchez a few days before the one adopted by the other tribes, 
and it gave a chance to the Europeans to be on their guard. The 
Frenchmen rallied, and attacked the post and made a fearful 
massacre, annihilating that tribe. It existed only in name after- 
wards. The French then established a fort to protect the naviga- 
tion of the river. 

The conduct of the French towards the Natchez indisposed all 
the other tribes against the white men. The Chicasaws declared 
a cruel warfare against them, constantly killing all who wandered 
away from the fort ; and, under such conditions, all cultivation of 
the soil had to be suspended. The treaty of London made the 
English masters of that post of the Natchez. They established 
plantations and made the post the bulwark of their possessions. In 
the last war the Americans took possession of it and sometime 
after the English retook it ; and finally the Spaniards captured it, 
and pretend to keep it, notwithstanding the treatv of Versailles 
which fixes the American possessions at the thirty-first degree of 
latitude. The post of Natchez is situated on the 33d degree of 
latitude, and is distant about 150 leagues from the mouth of the 
River. It is established on an elevation of 140 feet above the level 
of the River, and as soon as that height is reached, there are to be 
found immense plains, which the French, the English and the 
Americans cultivate, under the banner of Spain. That govern- 
ment maintains there a garrison somewhat sufficient to protect its 



11 

holdings in that Province. The products of the soil are excellent ; 
tobacco, food plants of all kinds, even grapevine', if cultivated, 
would yield abundantly. Before concluding the description of this 
post, it would be proper to chronicle a particular incident which 
occurred at the time of the massacre. The Indian woman who had 
advised her lover to flee, also told him to let his Commander 
know what was about to take place. The Commander took ver\ 
little notice of the warning, and through an inexcusable lack of 
foresight, disdained the advice given him. The Indian woman, 
perceiving with regret the inevitable loss of her lover, repeated 
her entreaties, and he, fully believing her, and desirous of 
saving bis countrymen, presented himself again before the Com- 
mander, who, annoyed by the remonstrances of the soldier, caused 
him to be put in irons. Scon after, that unfortunate being and all 
the other Europeans were massacred without leaving one to tell 
the tale. 

POINTE COUPEE. 

Pointe Coupee was established long after the Natchez. It is 
distant about sixty leagues from New Orleans. The soil is ex- 
cellent for the cultivation of tobacco and food products. 

ATTAKAPAS AND OPELOUSAS. 

At about the same elevation, as is Pointe Coupee, towards the 
West, are to be found, in the interior, two settlements situated in 
the midst of vast plains. In the earlv days of the Colony, in each 
of the settlements, at a distance of sixty leagues from one another, 
were established cattle ranches, which became so important that 
they tempted other colonists to establish some more. The pros- 
perity which followed those new settlers induced a great many 
others to join them, and caused the post to become important. 
Besides the cattle ranches, the colonists established the cultivation 
of indigo, and food products, and succeeded very well. The only 
drawback to the success of those enterprises was the lack of com- 
munication with the river. That, however, can be overcome at 
small expense. Besides the many cattle ranches there are to be 
seen, from the Balize to Natchez, a series of plantations near to 
one another, as the ground is more or less valuable. 

ARKANSAS. 

The Arkansas settlement is situated at about two hundred 
leagues from New Orleans, and is seven leagues distant from the 
Mississippi River, on the left bank of the Arkansas river. Thar 
post is not a very strong one, although it is situated in the midst 
of immense plains, very tempting to cultivators of the soils. It is" 
used only to protect the navigation of the river and to hold in 
check the Arkansas Indians. This is a very warlike tribe, very 
useful to the Spaniards. It was formerly quite numerous, but is 
being destroyed daily, by the use of alcoholic drinks, inhumanely 



12 

given to them ; and besides the drinking- habit, they make use of 
a very violent poison which they administer to one another on the 
slightest provocation. 

ILLINOIS. 

The Illinois post, distant from New Orleans about six hundred 
leagues, was, during the French occupation, a very important one. 
It was, in the beginning of the colony, founded by Canadians, 
who, attracted by commerce of one nation with another, discov- 
ered that beautiful country so similar to some parts of Europe. 
There they settled and married Indian women. The population 
grew rapidly and attracted the attention of the Canadian govern- 
ment, who sent there a few priests and soldiers ; but as communi- 
cation between Canada and that post was far distant and very ex- 
pensive, it was annexed to the government of Louisiana, and there 
six hundred soldiers were sent, with a major and staff. That post 
grew daily, and formed several villages clustered near a stream 
which emptied into the river. By the treaty of London, the right 
bank passed under English dominion and the left bank under the 
Spanish government. The county seat, during the French period, 
was the Fort of Chartres, which was quadrilateral, flanked by 
four large stone bastions. It was reputed to be the finest fort in 
America. It is no longer in existence. The caving of the banks 
of the Mississippi River, at that spot, caused it to disappear en- 
tirely. The right bank went over to the Americans, by virtue of 
the treaty of Versailles. It embraced the valleys of the Kaskasia, 
and those of Rock Prairie, Fort Massacre, the post of St. Ange, 
the Little Village, and the Cohoes ; the Spanish possessions on 
the left bank, St. Genevieve, and St. Louis, the County seat. 
That part of the country which can be compared to the finest 
Provinces of France, is situated on the 39th degree of latitude. 
Wheat, as well as other products, are abundantly cultivated. The 
nutmeg, grapevine, and all the fruits of Europe grow perfectly 
well, and they are all natural to the soil. Stone, marble and slate 
are found in abundance, and can be easily quarried, with proper 
labor. Lead mines are there in a state of virginity, and so rich 
that veins are found at from three to four feet below the surface 
of the ground, and they contain almost pure lead. These veins 
are about one foot wide and six or seven feet deep and one hun- 
dred to one hundred and fifty feet long, and then disappear in 
rocky ground where the miners abandon them to seek easier 
places to work. There is no doubt that in following those veins 
in the rocks, silver would be found, and one is tempted to that 
belief, judging from the small particles of that metal mixed with 
the lead ore, and the great quantity of zinc it contains. Going at. 
least one-twelfth into a lake called Peoria , often almost pure cop- 
per is found. To discover those mines requires the enterprise of 
intelligent and wealthy persons willing to risk the expense. Iron, 
coal and other minerals are abundant, and yet almost neglected. 



13 

When the population will become more numerous, then it is to be 
hoped that use will be made of those valuable mines. 

ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THE O H/XTRY. 

When the Europeans settled in that country, it was inhabited 
by a large number of Indians called the Tamaroux, forming sev- 
eral villages, the principal of which were: The Illinois, the 
Peorias, the Menguetas, and the Cohoes tribes, which have almost 
disappeared. The cause of their destruction has already been 
stated above. 

PECULIARITIES FOUND IX THE ILLINOIS REGION. 

In the village of the Cohoes are to be seen tombs ranging from 
seven to eight feet long, and they seem to have contained bodies 
of that size, judging by the skeletons found therein. Wells are 
also seen, that are lined with stones, showing that they were made 
by intelligent people. In certain localities are found indications 
that the country has been in a state of cultivation. 

THE MAX PLAXT. 

In going up the Missouri river, about three hundred leagues, 
some travelers discovered on its banks the trunk of a plant re- 
sembling a human figure. Having approached near enough they 
saw that it locked like the body of a woman, with arms, legs and 
hands, and breasts. At the extremities of the hands, fingers and 
breasts there were filaments, serving as roots, leading into the 
ground, and the head was crowned with a small tree with some 
foliage. The travelers searched in the vicinity, and found others 
of the same kind, and after having dug to the roots of the plants, 
they found bodies of the same nature as the first, designating males 
and females. The travelers, with their sense of curiosity and 
wonder, brought with them to the Illinois post a few of the curi- 
osities, which brought about several theories. Some contended 
that it was a root which nature had given the form of a human 
figure. Others argued that they were real bodies that had been 
buried, standing, according*to the custom of certain nations, and 
they had vegetated in a soil proper thereto. The first theory pre- 
vailed over the other. Awaiting further investigation which may 
settle the question, we had in our possession an arm from said 
plant, which resembled, in every respect, the arm of a man. The 
inhabitants of Illinois use the plant and find in them qualities like 
the mummies of Egypt for curative purposes. 

DISCOVERY OF LOUISIAXA. 

Louisiana was discovered by Fernando de Soto, a Spaniard, who 
fitted out bis expedition, and came to the port of Havana, a re- 
nowned port of the Island of Cuba. He crossed the Bahama 



14 

Canal, and reached the main land at a point named Saint Augus- 
tine, where he built a fort separated from the Island of Cuba by 
an arm of the sea, about sixty leagues wide. It was on Palm 
Sunday that he landed, and he named that country "Florida." He 
then marched through that region to the Mississippi River, which 
he named West Florida. Satisfied with having traversed such an 
extent of territory, he retraced his steps without having established 
any post. A short time afterwards the English attempted a 
voyage of discovery, and reaching the mouth of the River, went 
up the stream till they reached the Point now known as English 
Turn, distant about twenty-five leagues from the Balize. It was 
at that spot they met a party of Canadians, who made them be- 
lieve that the branch of the river they were ascending was only a 
watercourse uniting a lake with another, and that they were mis- 
taken in the idea that they were on the Mississippi River. The 
English believed what the Canadians told them, and they turned 
back to the sea. The Canadians, who had embarked at the post 
of the Illinois, and who, out of sheer curiosity, had followed the 
course of the river, went back to Canada, where they informed 
their government of their discovery, and what had occurred with 
that party of Englishmen. From that time, the attention of the 
Canadian government was fixed on that part of the country, which 
they attempted to secure and control. Mr. de La Salle, a Cana- 
dian gentleman, then offered his services, and at the head of a 
small number of explorers, embarked at the Illinois post, and went 
down the Mississippi River as far as the Red River, where his 
men, tired at such a long and painful voyage of about one hundred 
leagues, rebelled against him, and he, in that extremity, was 
obliged to change his plans, and renounce the expedition of dis- 
covery of the mouth of the Mississippi River, although he was not 
more than sixty leagues from it. His men, nervous and impa- 
tient, forced him to follow the Red River in the hope of finding 
a shorter route to the sea, and after a great deal of hard work, he 
reached St. Bernard Bay, where he erected a fort and left sixty 
men to guard it. He then left for Europe in order to give an 
account of his discovery and mission. 



MASSACRE OF THE GARRISON. 

Mr. de La Salle came back the following year, and found that 
the post had been destroyed by the Spaniards, who had slaughtered 
the entire garrison. It was unfortunate for him that he had 
limited his expedition only to the discovery of the mouth of the 
Mississippi River, which he could not find, after having con- 
sumed quite a length of time in fruitless researches. He landed at 
the same spot where he had, the year before, established a post. 
He went back to Canada by following the Red River in order to 
enter the Mississippi River, and then follow the same route pre- 
viously taken by him. 



15 

MURDER OF MR. DE LA SALLE. > 

Mr. de La Salle had hardly reached the junction of the two 
rivers, when he was murdered by his men. The French Court 
thought no more of that establishment until the Banking system 
of "Law," commonly called the "Law," came into prominence. 
Law, finding that the government was in need of a Bank to give 
financial solidity to the French nation, induced the Duke of "Or- 
leans, the Regent, to establish a Bank founded on the Province of 
Louisiana, thereby making his plan more conspicuous, and creat- 
ing an establishment on an immense scale. Shareholders, grantees 
and colonists were looked for, and soon, six thousand Germans 
came forward, together with all those gathered from all parts of 
France, and were embarked with great eclat for Louisiana, car- 
rying with them everything necessary and useful for the new- 
born colony. 

ARRIVAL OF THE VESSELS AT DAUPHINE ISLAND. 

The vessels approached the coast between Pensacola and Mo- 
bile, and landed everything they had on board, on Dauphine 
Island. Storehouses were built, awaiting the discovery of the 
Mississippi River or its mouth, where it was contemplated to es- 
tablish important settlements. The vessels, on their return to 
France, circulated, at the instigation of the Regent and of Law. 
rumors that the country was blessed, and that It was susceptible 
of yielding a hundred per cent profit to the stockholders. Ac- 
cordingly, the notes of the Bank were looked for with avidity, and 
shares of stock were increased. People hurriedly converted their 
good money into those shares, and soon after, a complete change 
took place in the fortunes of the people. Servants became 
wealthier than their masters during the apparent prosperity of 
the Bank. The colony, thrown upon arid sands of the Islands, 
rapidly consumed all the provisions contained in the storehouses. 
which were not replenished. Soon famine stared the colonists 
into the face, forcing them to disperse and to live on shell fish 
that they gathered on the sea shore. That kind of unwholesome 
food brought about diseases and many deaths ensued. So many 
died that out of the six thousand Germans that had left Europe, 
only about one hundred survived, and they had the hardihood to 
find an issue to the River through Bayou St. John at about the 
place where New Orleans was afterwards founded. They ascended 
the Mississippi River and settled about ten leagues further up the 
River, on the lands afterwards called Des Allemands. Their 
number was increased by a few .other French refugees who had 
also escaped famine at the desolated Dauphine Island ; and also a 
few Canadians from the Illinois post joined them. The Court, in 
order to keep up the credulity of the shareholders, sent, from time 
to time, vessels laden with men and women picked up from all 
parts of the country. They prospered so little that few of them, 



16 

or of their descendants, are left. The languishing colony increased 
a little, until the attention of Mr. Maurepas, then Minister, was 
called to the sad condition of the colony, and he sent two thou- 
sand men of garrison to the Province. He encouraged the officers 
and soldiers to get married. They followed his advice, and it is 
from those marriages that springs the best part of the present 
population. The protection afforded to the colonists by the Min- 
ister attracted many other Europeans, who, in the census of 1760, 
numbered over ten thousand white inhabitants. The vessels which 
the West India Company had sent to the Colony two years after 
those which had first landed, proved a losing investment to the 
stockholders. The people of France saw, too late, that they had 
been duped. Law fled, the bank notes passed into oblivion ; part 
of the grantees abandoned their possessions, which they had es- 
tablished at great expense, and with a rigid economy. About that 
time, the mouth of the River was discovered. 

GOVERNMENT OF THE COLONY. 

In the beginning, the new colony was governed by Directors, 
who reported their stewardship to the Company, whose domicile 
was in Paris. The Company nominated and appointed the mili- 
tary governor and civil officers, under authority of the King. A 
Superior Council was created, composed of the Governor, Direc- 
tors, and of several notable citizens, who administered justice 
gratuitously. 

THE FIRST GOVERNOR. 

The first Governor was Mr. de Bienville, who tried, in the be- 
ginning, to be friendly with the natives. He traveled through 
their country, learned their language and succeeded in maintain- 
ing a perfect understanding with them. Through such concilia- 
tory measures he quietly made all necessary establishments, and 
during his administration the colony extended itself and pros- 
pered in a wonderful manner. 

SECOND GOVERNOR. 

After a certain time, Mr. de Bienville was succeeded by Mr. de 
Perrier, a naval officer, who inaugurated measures that were ad- 
vantageous to the colony. He encouraged agriculture and com- 
merce, and disfavored the introduction of luxuries which gener- 
ally retard the prosperity of new establishments. During that 
time, those who composed the colony lived in perfect accord with 
one another, so much so that they seemed to form part of oiiq 
large family, visiting one another, and holding reunions and 
meetings, at which harmony and gayety invariably prevailed. 

The food products, and hunting and fishing, were in abundance. 
Living was cheap. The women were neatly dressed, without 
ostentation. Those happy moments were interrupted by an in- 



17 

trigue made against Mr. de Perrier. Mr. De N'oyan, Lieutenant 
of the King, and nephew of Mr. de Bienville, obtained in secret the 
signatures of part of the inhabitants to a petition asking for the 
return of Mr. de Bienville and the recall of Mr. de Terrier. Trie 
colonists, without any other motive than their weakness to comply, 
did as requested, and the Court, in order to please them, acquiesced 
in their plea, and Mr. de Bienville came hack. Soon after, oc- 
curred the massacre of the Natchez, and the war with the Chicka- 

WAR WITH THE CHICKASAWS. 

Mr. de Bienville took the field against the Chickasaws with the 
colonial troops and those of the Illinois. The (lav of meeting was 
fixed for a certain date before the village of that tribe. Mr 
D'Artaguette, an excellent officer, commanded the Illinois troops. 
lie arrived at the Chickasaw village on the day designated. He 
waited in vain for Mr. de Bienville. At last, unable to stand the 
'delay any longer, for want of food, he sent back a part of the 
volunteers and determined to die rather than return without having 
accomplished his mission. He invited the most resolute men of 
his army to join him in an attack, after having sent back those who 
had wives and children. He vigorously attacked the village, which 
he found strongly fortified by the skill of the English- traders, who 
had taken refuge there. The attack was vigorous, but Mr. 
D"Artaguette, and his small number of men, overwhelmed by num- 
bers, were killed. Some were taken prisoners by the Indians and 
were- imprisoned in a cabin and burned alive. Even a Jesuit 
Chaplain of the small army, unwilling to abandon his comrades, 
was among the victims. During this time, Mr. de Bienville and 
his men were advancing slowly and with difficulty. ( )n reaching 
the post, they attacked it, and were met with such stout resistance 
that they retired after having lost many men. 

THE TAKING OF PENSACOLA BY THE SPANIARDS. 

In those days, the French and Spanish Courts were at odds, on 
account of certain pretensions of the Regent. The troops of the 
Colony took Pensacola, which was promptly retaken by the Span- 
iards with reinforcements from Havana. 

WAR WITH THE CHEROKEES. 

The .repulses which the French had sustained in the attack on 
the Chickasaws inspired the government with renewed caution. 
Mr. de Bienville demanded and obtained from the Court a rein- 
forcement of troops, in order to terminate that war, by the destruc- 
tion of that nation, which was constantly harassing and destroying 
the Posts, and impeding the navigation of the River. He sent a 
battalion of marine troops, just arrived from France, up the River 
to the Chickasaw village, and they camped at a place called "Ecore 



18 

a Marquos," where the meeting of the troops of the Illinois and of 
Canada took place. The dissensions between Mr. de Bienville and 
Mr. de Noyan, captain of vessel, commander of the troops, were 
the cause of the ill success of the expeditions. Six months elapsed 
and the men returned without having accomplished anything. The 
victorious Chickasaws continued their warfare against our estab- 
lishments, which were saved from total destruction only by op- 
posing other nations to the Chickasaws. 

RETROCESSION OF THE COLONY TO THE KING. 

The West India Company, on account of its enormous losses, 
retroceded the colony to the King, who then sent M. le Comte de 
Vaudreuil to take charge of its affairs. 

THIRD GOVERNOR. 

As Governor, Mr. de Vaudreuil was kind and peaceful and did 
much for the public welfare ; and it was at that time that the King 
sent two thousand men to defend the country. The King organ- 
ized, at the same time, a Superior Council, composed of the Gov- 
ernor, an Intendant, a King's Counsel, four Councilmen and four 
Assessors, who dispensed justice gratuitously. 

1756— FOURTH GOVERNOR. 

In the year 1756, Mr. de Vaudreuil was appointed Governor- 
General of Canada. He was succeeded by Mr. de Ker'ierec, Cap- 
tain of the Navy. Mr. de Kerlerec was a man full of vanity, and 
of an intriguing, selfish disposition. He had obtained the position 
of Governor by yielding up his emoluments to certain clerks of 
various bureaus. This was the beginning of petty intrigues. He 
considered Louisiana as his prey and did all he could to reap all 
the fruits possible. The Intendant, who was watching him, often, 
opposed his many schemes and designs. Then a deplorable spirit 
of enmity sprang up between them, each trying to accomplish the 
downfall of the other. Cabals and combinations were made, and 
factions on each side were organized. Petitions were circulated, 
and signatures were obtained, on each side. Good will and cor- 
diality which had existed between the inhabitants during the pre- 
ceding administrations, vanished entirely. The King, annoyed by 
the repeated complaints made by the contending factions, sent the 
Regiment of Angoumois to quell the spirit of dissatisfaction, and 
to prevent the breaking out of civil war. The Court sustained the 
Governor, who dismissed several officers, and they, on returning 
to France, exposed the injustice done them. No sooner was the 
Governor vindicated, than other accusations were made against 
him ; and after a long and tedious trial he was found guilty and 
punished. The animositv which existed between the two chiefs 
also drew a dividing line between the inhabitants. Dissensions. 



19 

sprang up among them on all occasions. The Governor had the 
power to grant pardons, posts, and concessions and enterprises fcr 
the King, and received lucrative commissions. The Intendant, 
Chief of Finance, favored his own followers. The, Governor or- 
dered the construction of costly and useless fortifications, which 
he adjudicated to his partisans. The Intendant kept the stores 
open, so that his men might profit by them. Such a state of affairs, 
carried on by the Governor and the Intendant, increased to a 
considerable amount the paper currency of the country, which 
soon went down with a loss of 800 per cent. Goods were then 
sold on the basis of that discount, and wines, at that time, were 
sold at the rate of one hundred francs per bottle, and other foreign 
commodities were sold in the same proportion. 

SIXTH GOVERNOR. 

About the same time, Mr. Labadie, Commissary-General of the 
Navy, was sent to this country as Director, with all the powers of 
a Governor and an Intendant. He had orders to reduce the paper 
money to three-fifths of its value, and to give receipts, which 
were subsequently replaced by coupons which were given by the 
Court and made payable to bearer. 

DEPRECIATION OF THE CURRENCY OF THE 

COLONY. 

These coupons constituted a State debt. They were never paid, 
except a few, which had been discounted at rates as high as 60 
per cent. That immense loss caused the financial ruin of the 
colony. The originators of that scheme remained unpunished. 

CESSION OF PART OF LOUISIANA TO THE 

ENGLISH. 

The Treaty of London, which was signed after the unfortunate 
war between France and England, caused France to lose the 
colony, and it was then ceded to the English, who limited their 
possessions from a point beginning at St. Lawrence Bay, Canada, 
Acadia, and the two Floridas, and terminating on the right bank 
of the Mississippi River, and at the head of the island of New 
Orleans. There remained, consequently, belonging to France, only 
the Isle of New Orleans, and the left bank of the Mississippi 
River. The French colonists, who were on English possessions, 
then emigrated to that Island. No sooner had the French col- 
onists, after sacrificing everything they had, so as to remain 
under the French flag, become settled, an order was received 
by Mr. d'Abadie, from the King, to cede all the French posses- 
sions to Spain. 



20 

MONS. AUBRY, COMMANDANT. 

Shortly after that. Governor d'Abadie died, and he was suc- 
ceeded by M. Anbry, the commander ad interim of the troops, 
until the arrival of Mr. Ulloa, Captain of Vessel of His Catholic 
Majesty. That event took place in the year 1766. 

SPANISH GOVERNOR. 

Governor Anbry was the author of "Voyages in Peru," and he 
had been the traveling companion of M. de la Condamine, who 
had made such great discoveries in that country. M. Aubry did 
not create the impression in anyone, by his appearance or by his 
conversation, that he had taken any great part in those discov- 
eries. He was a man of talent, very self-opinionated ; and, conse- 
quently, was incapable of carrying, in his official acts, such care 
and attention as were necessary to gain the confidence and good 1 
will of a people that was just experiencing a change of govern- 
ment. His conduct, during two years, was always uncertain. At 
times, he wanted to take possession of the colony, and, at other 
times, on some pretext or other, would change his mind. In the 
meantime, he would propose new measures in commerce and in 
legislation, and in the discipline and conduct of the inhabitants, 
and of their slaves ; and also in agriculture. So many innovations 
were introduced in the Colony, based on the flattering promises of 
the Court of France that no changes would be made in the estab- 
lished order of things, that it caused general unrest, and the col- 
onists resolved to emigrate in a body. But, on second thought, re- 
membering the large expenses incurred in the establishment of 
enterprises, and in clearing up the lands, it was determined to 
drive out of the country the Governor and the Spanish people. The 
day agreed on came, -and the banner of rebellion was flung to the 
breeze. The populace, in arms, captured the principal posts of 
the city. The Superior Council was summoned to deliberate, and 
it decreed against Mr. Ulloa, and ordered him to quit the Colony 
within three days. All the Spaniards were included in the decree 
and were compelled to leave. The Governor, fearing serious con- 
sequences from the revolt, took refuge on his frigate, after leav- 
ing an officer on land to take charge of his house, and there to 
receive and answer all communications coming from the rebels. 
They notified the officer of the decree rendered, and he in turn 
informed his superior, who sent no reply. He was only too glad 
to escape without hurt. That popular uprising was so well con- 
ducted that not one drop of blood was shed. Mr. Aubry, who, 
since the arrival of the Spaniards, had not ceased, apparently, to 
govern ad interim, showed such equivocal conduct that it could 
not be approved by the Courts of France or of Spain. The inac- 
tion of his soldiers, and the feeble resistance on his part in such 
emergency, brought reproaches upon him. 



21 

DEPARTURE OF THE DEPUTIES OF THE COUNCIL. 

After the decision rendered by the Council, Mr. Aubry wished 
to justify the action, and he therefore sent deputies to the Court 
of France to explain the motives that actuated him in the premises 
and to beg of the King to again take possession of the colony, and 
accord it his protection. The deputies, having tarried, did not 
reach the King until after Mr. I'lloa's emissaries had had time 
to go to Madrid, and to cause the Court of Spain to complain to 
the Court of Versailles of the actions of the French officials. Mr. 
Ulloa knew that first impressions received are generally the hest. 
Mr. De Choiseul was then Prime Minister of France, and he had 
special reasons when he prevailed upon the King to cede the colon) 
to Spain. So he abandoned the colonists to the reprisals of the 
Spaniards, and they, in order to enforce their rights, sent Count 
O'Reilly, Lieutenant-General, at the head of three thousand men, 
to Louisiana. 

ARRIVAL OF COUNT O'REILLY. 

O'Reilly reached the Balize on the 12th day of July, 1768. The 
arrival of the troops, far from intimidating the rebels, roused 
them to such an extent, that they determined to go forward and 
meet them. The time which had elapsed since the revolt had 
opened the eyes of some of the partisans of the rebellion, and they, 
fearing serious consequences from their conduct, withdrew from 
their party ; and the rebels were reduced to a small number. Their 
weakness in numbers by no means abated their courage. While ' 
they were preparing to resist, with all the advantages due to their' 
position on land, there came a Spanish officer who announced that 
justice and clemency would be the rule of Count O'Reilly, who, a 
few days previously, had written to Mr. Aubry that his aim was 
to avoid bloodshed. Mr. Aubry hastened to make that letter public, 
and at the same time to state that the sponge would be passed on 
what had occurred in the matter of rebellion. The revolutionists, 
deceived by these flattering promises, and being ill-advised, re- 
mained inactive, and even sent a delegation to meet Count 
( )'Reilly. who simulated good will towards them. On their re- 
turn, the delegates praised the Spaniards and their chief. The 
latter continued on his route without meeting any obstacles and 
arrived quietly in New Orleans, and made all preparations for 
disembarking as if he had an army before him ready to oppose 
his landing. After disembarking, O'Reilly established several 
posts in the City. He took possession of the Colony — a formality 
which his predecessor had neglected, and the next day. having 
convoked the Assembly, he exacted from its members the taking 
of the oath of allegiance to Spain. He dismissed the Council and 
established a Cabildo with alcades to settle the differences exist- 
ing between the inhabitants. O'Reilly caused the arrest of twelve 
of the leaders of the rebellion. They were tried. Six were con- 



22 

demned to death, and six to the galleys. He promulgated the laws 
of Spain and appointed officers to enforce them, and to render 
justice to the people. At great expense he formed a battalion of 
soldiers and a battalion of militia for the defense of the Colony ; 
and he gave to the army a number of banners whose devices were 
reminiscent of the events through which the colony had passed. 

EIGHTH GOVERNOR. 

O'Reilly appointed a civil and military governor in the person of 
Don Luis de Unzaga, Colonel of the Havana Regiment. He was 
reputed to have been unjust on other governmental positions and 
affairs that had been entrusted to him, but in Louisiana he gave 
only proofs of equity, moderation, and even disinterestedness. He 
applied himself to efface the evils which had previously crushed 
the Colony, and he attacked the ruinous system prevailing in com- 
merce which made difficult the payment of debts contracted, and 
he was strict in regard to that obligation. He, in a short time, 
attained the ends in view, and by rigid discipline abolished the 
spirit of luxury, and constrained the inhabitants to keep them- 
selves within the limits of their means. On the other hand, he 
was studying the ruinous schemes of commerce and agriculture 
which had been established by his predecessors. He shut his 
eyes to the practice of smuggling carried on between the English 
and the citizens. By such means he satisfied the wants of the 
people and the sales of the products of the country. Finally, that 
Governor, who, in the beginning, had, by his coarse, repellant 
manners, given poor hopes, became popular, and was well liked 
and applauded. It is believed he will figure in the annals of his- 
tory as one of the best Governors the colony has ever had. 

NINTH GOVERNOR. 

Don Bernardo de Galvez succeeded Don Luis de Unzaga ; he 
was the nephew of a Minister of that name, who ruled Spain, and 
who, having no male children of his own, took occasion to favor 
his nephew, who was not slow in taking advantage of the good 
will of his superior. He started his nephew's fortune by sending 
him to Louisiana, in the capacity of Colonel, and Governor ad in- 
terim. That Minister, well posted concerning the secrets of the 
Cabinet, saw that Louisiana was destined to be the siege of war, 
and the place where his nephew could make his mark. He fur- 
nished him the means to that end, in his capacity of Minister of 
"Indies," and he planned everything so advantageouslv that an 
officer with any ordinary capacity should have succeeded within a 
year. 

Don Bernardo de Galvez was subsequently appointed Governor 
with full title. He had properly made use of his time in endear- 
ing himself to the inhabitants; by means of flattery, caresses and 
even by procuring to them new pleasures. He appeared sym- 



23 

pathetic, just and disinterested, even assisting the natives. His 
conduct, supported by his uncle, conciliated everybody. He was 
not slow in making use of all the advantages that were thrown in 
his path by the Minister, who, ever mindful of all that could turn 
to his advantage, and seeing that war was inevitable with England, 
apprised his nephew beforehand that war would be declared, by 
which means Bernardo de Galvez knew of the declaration of war, 
in Louisiana, before it was known in Madrid ; and he acted in 
consequence. 

Galvez, having made the necessary arrangements, issued a 
proclamation summoning the colony to arms, marched with his 
forces towards post Manchac. There he published the news of 
war and by that means surprised the English, who were in pos- 
session of* that post. The latter, finding it impossible to defend 
that post, which was of little importance, abandoned it and re- 
treated to Baton Rouge, which they fortified in haste the day after 
their retreat. During the night, Don Bernardo de Galvez, apprised 
of the evacuation, disposed his troops to advantage, ordered the 
assault and entered the fort, which had only 20 men, who made 
no resistance. 

FIRST VICTORY. 

r 

The General spent a few days enjoying the fruits of his new- 
conquest and then marched on to Baton Rouge, where he caused 
to be brought, for the purpose of attack and to batter in breach, 
several pieces of artillery of 24 pounders. The post bad been for- 
tified in haste and was defended by 600 men. He caused trenches 
to be dug, constructed a battery, and battered in breach a para- 
pet which was from 6 to 8 feet thick, composed of branches of 
trees and dirt. A single bullet of that heavy artillery would have 
gone through thirty feet of such defenses. The English having 
defended themselves for half a day, asked to capitulate. 

The news of this conquest, conveyed to the Court under the 
most glowing colors, brought to Galvez the title of Brigadier. 

Galvez employed part of the winter in making preparations for 

the siege of Mobile. He demanded of the authorities of Havana 
men and vessels for the purpose of attacking it with advantage and 
with all possible security. 

Jealousy caused the authorities to partially refuse his demands. 

He embarked with a small number of soldiers and inhabitants 
of the Colony, and arrived in the month of March, 1780, in Mobile 
Bay, where a severe tempest destroyed several of his ships which 
foundered in the pass of the Bay. These ships carried many men, 
who spent more than 30 hours on the debris of the vessels. The 
calm, which came in due time, permitted the launches or ship's 
boats, which had resisted the tempest, to pick up the unfortunates, 
who, with eyes and hands raised towards the heavens, were im- 
ploring aid and succor. Their prayers were answered and they 
were all saved. 



24 

They were landed on the coast of the Bay. At that moment 
the army was in such a bad condition that if the English had had 
a single detachment on the parapets, as they should have had, they 
would have taken all these unfortunates that had been saved from 
the storm, and thereby not only would they have preserved their 
post, but would have easily conquered Louisiana, which had been 
left without a defender. ' 

SECOND VICTORY. 

Galvez took advantage of their negligence and re-established as 
much as he could, order in his army. He ordered them to cross 
the Bay and presented himself before Mobile, and battered a 
breach. The artillery having produced its effect, the besieged. de- 
manded to capitulate and this was granted. That fort, which had 
been built of brick, covered with four casements or bastions, had 
been constructed by the India Company. The English had only 
ioo men to defend it, composed of sailors and soldiers. 

That victory did not remain without recompense. Galvez reaped 
all the fruits thereof. The king made him Field Marshal. 

ATTACK ON PENSACOLA. 

After that, there remained to the English in the Gulf of Mexico 
only a single possession, which was Pensacola. They had made it 
the County seat. On account of its port, and on account of its 
easy intercourse with Jamaica, it was the center of the forces 
which the English kept to preserve East and West Florida. The 
Governor-General resided there. They had made of this quite an 
agreeable town, which was defended by several forts constructed 
of wood and earth. The sandy nature of the soil presenting no ad- 
vantage to the cultivator, the inhabitants were contented to carry 
on a profitable commerce with the Spaniards. Galvez was anxious 
of effecting this conquest, which was quite different from the 
others. He finally undertook it, and with that end in view sent 
M. Miro to Havana to ask for all that was necessary for that 
enterprise. Fearing obstacles or a prejudicial delay, he went him- 
self to Havana, and after many conferences with the chiefs who 
commanded that city, he obtained soldiers, vessels and artillery. 
All left with him in the year 1781. 

Having arrived at the port, which was defended by a fort and 
artillery, it became necessary, in order to blockade and take it, to 
force passage by vessels placed in line. The chiefs were ordered 
so to do, but they refused to go further, under pretext that there 
was not enough water to pass, and that vessels would go aground. 

Galvez, perceiving that jealousy was the prime cause of the re- 
fusal, determined to go through with a privateer manned by him- 
self. He succeeded, and passing the fort and its artillery without 
receiving any damage, was followed by other vessels. In short, 
all those that were available entered, and the others remained out- 
side, for observation. 



25 
TAKING OF PENSACOLA. 

opDo h sition ne T 1 l 1 Ia ! lde , d ; VithOUt ? bS , t3Cle ' the En ^ lish offered feeble 
came a ?he L« ? P f' wh , lch . had bee » assembled at Mobile, 

came at the same time and made junction with the naval forces 
Without having been molested in their march 

war ?L th Jf .°. CCasion the E »Slish had followed the tactics of 
war, that division never would have joined the army ■ 100 men 
placed on their passage either in the paths in the woods oMn 

hilatedXm ° *? ""* C ° mpeIled t0 Cr ° SS WOuld ^e ?nm 
A little more, by some false alarm given during the nteht thev 
came near destroying themselves. Th? soldiers took up a fm s and 
fired at one another, for more than half an hour, wi 1 Ui esu 
that a few were killed during the confusion 

Monte, TVtT'fi 01 J"" 1 ™ thei? *">• "hen 1?* 
Monteml Chref of Squadron, came with a division of shins ! e 
ongmg tohis Most Christian Majesty in sight of Pensaco a It 
££ ?H T a!a ™ Spread in the Spanisircamp ,1 a, th y be 

Ssh r* S " rrou " ded b >' » English squadron y The 

prhe on hi sT"'? 7 ' Were rei ° ici "S ; but what ™ the sur- 
prise on both sides when ,t was ascertained they were French. 

The General who knew beforehand that this mnf nmmm . 
coming to him, pretended not to bd4T^^SjSr 

tassww about ' " a ™~ s"s 

b £^^ 
SStS? s -- 

LJ i 2 * redoubt - A bom b fired from the Spanish Camn en 

the fortification whi^Tafof ^^l^^ ^'^ ^ 
the Spaniards seeing the destruction of that' post hastened to 
take possession of the place. The English seemed h. m „ 
opposition and came out in battle an "ronTrV 

They appeared satisfied of their maneuvCTh^nfardfe 



26 

themselves in the Fort without coming to blows, and Fort St. 
George, constructed of wood, as was the redoubt, did not wait 
to be attacked in order to surrender, but its men offered to capitu- 
late. The garrison amounted to 800 men, comprising soldiers and 
sailors, who obtained by capitulation permission to return to their 
country with the condition that they would never bear arms against 
the Spaniards during the course of the war. 

It was time for that event to occur because the ships were on, 
the point of returning under pretext of want of supplies. The ad- 
vice that the chiefs had given to the General caused him to de- 
spair, to such an extent, that he was thinking of giving up the 
enterprise when those unforeseen events took place, which ren- 
dered him victorious. 

RETURN TO NEW ORLEANS. 

He took possession of his conquest and came back triumphant to 
New Orleans. 

The service rendered to the State did not remain without recom- 
pense, as he was made Lieutenant General and Commandant of 
the Army which was assembled at St. Domingo, to make the siege 
of Jamaica, where the French were to be auxiliaries. 

The English as attacked before Pensacola did not do what they 
could have done for the defense of that place, and one cannot un- 
derstand that a nation so warlike neglected to take advantage of 
the opportunities that so often presented themselves to them in 
many instances, whilst they could, with a little more activity and 
attention, have destroyed the plans of their enemies. 

DEATH OF GALVEZ. 

Don Bernardo de Galvez gathered all the fruits of that war. 
Tie obtained promotion from Captain of Infantry to Lieutenant- 
General and Vice Roy of Mexico, where he died. All these honors 
came to him after only five years of service. 

Don Estevan Miro succeeded Don Bernardo de Galvez. Miro 
governed Louisiana by and under the orders of Galvez, then Vice 
Roy of the vast Kingdom of Mexico, and commander of the two 
Floridas. When Galvez died Miro became the sole and absolute 
Governor of the Province of Louisiana. His solicitude for the 
welfare of his people, his honesty of purpose and his sense of jus- 
tice made him an admirable Governor. He was always attentive 
to duty and ever ready to obtain from the Court of France new 
favors for his people. He used his best endeavors to check the 
growth of evils brought about by habits of luxury, which had been 
allowed to spread in the colony by the actions of his predecessors. 
The bad effects of such a state of affairs had caused the fortunes 
of a few and the downfall of many, and destroyed the good har- 
mony and feeling which should have existed in the colony. 

Mr. A/Iiro corrected, as much as he could, the many disorders 
that had crept into the community. He had already succeeded in 



27 

giving splendor and eclat to all the affairs of the colony, when by 
a.tatal accident, he died, just at the moment when he was begin- 
ning to reap the fruits of his labors. 

CONFLAGRATION OF NEW ORLEANS. 

On Good Friday of the year i 7 88, a fire was caused by the 
ncghgence of a woman who thought of crowning her devotion 
by making a small altar in her house. She left several candles 
burning around it and went off to take her dinner. Durino- her 
absence a candle fell on some ornaments which took fire, and the 
house m an instant was in flames, which communicated to the ad- 
joining house, and the wind, which was strong at that time, spread 
the fire to the balance of the city, which, in two hours, was con- 
sumed. 

The powders which the merchants had in their stores for daily 
use, contributed largely to accelerate the conflagration, and ren- 
dered it more dangerous to those who wanted to save the remain- 
ing buildings. It would be difficult to depict the despair of the 
poor unfortunate persons whose propertties had suffered from the 
hre ; these unhappy creatures, who, two hours before, enjoyed vast 
and commodious lodgings with enough affluence to make one's 
lite agreeable and easy, saw themselves and their children } n a 
moment without resource. Some of them were obliged to take 
refuge in the woods, without necessary provisions and clothes 
borne slept without cover under the broad canopy of the heavens 
It was in that moment of necessity that the tender solicitude of 
M. Miro, Governor of the Province, showed itself. He opened 
his house to all who were seeking shelter, and he dispensed succor 
to the distressed families, caused the royal stores, which had escaped 
the flames, to be opened, and he distributed the provisions therein 
contained. Recourse was had to the surrounding country for 
heip ; permits were given to vessels to bring goods from abroad ; in 
short the Governor administered as a good pater familias and 
distributed that which he had gathered in the Colony in order to 
support his numerous people, and he succeeded in making their 
provisions last up to the arrival of the relief from Havana and St. 
Domingo. All these cares and attentions gave the necessary com- 
fort to those who had lost their belongings, but could not place 
them m the same condition they were before. Poverty stared them 
in the face, and these conditions brought all the inhabitants to a 
state of consternation, which was followed by the death of 1-6 of 
the citizens. 

Governor Miro grieved by so many disasters, tried to divert 
their attention and to alleviate their sorrows by his care and his 
attention and his purse. He gave balls and amusements to the 
unfortunate inhabitants in order to lessen their sorrows and to 
divert their minds; if these sad and memorable events were of a 
nature to be forgotten. Eight hundred fine and commodious 



28 

houses valued on an average at three thousand dollars ($3,000) 
each, were destroyed in that conflagration, without any prospect, 
on the part of the owners of ever recovering anything, except per- 
haps the bare hope of receiving some day some relief from the 
King. 

CURRENCY OF THE COLONY. 

The King, desirous of giving new proofs of his good will 
issued an edict retiring the paper money which then constituted 
the currency of the Colony. Had the truth been told the King 
in regard to the currency, in the beginning, it would have been 
advantageous and would have prevented all the evils that hap- 
pened. In order to prove this assertion, it may not be unwise to 
indulge in some comment about certain incidents which occurred 
in the beginning of the last war. The Spanish government was 
paying its expenses in silver. Those expenses had accumulated 
through stress of circumstances, the actual specie being insuffi- 
cient to meet the expenses ; and the Intendant introduced the use 
of paper money which remained in the country with the piastre- 
gourde. The merchants gradually discounted it as they made 
returns for their commerce. Under the circumstances in the 
beginning the small discount was imperceptibly felt. The creditors 
were unwilling to receive the paper money at its real value be- 
cause their contracts were made payable in piastres. They were 
obliged to yield, by order of the government, and to content them- 
selves with imaginary money. That paper money slowly in- 
creased until it reached eighty per cent discount. It was then that 
the people became obliged to recognize two sorts of currency, and, 
accordingly, contracts were made and maintained by law and jus- 
tice. The bad opinion which the people entertained about the 
paper money led many inhabitants to make their contracts based 
on the paper money, thereby causing them to pay one hundred 
per cent. dearer. Many were unable to satisfy their obligations, 
and remained, owing large sums, which, by order of the King, 
had to be paid in piastre-gourdes. Indigo, the main product of 
the country was worth, prior to the edict, two piastre-gourdes ; 
and, since the publication of the edict, it was worth only one 
piastre. Thus, at the rate of two to one, the farmers and planters 
lost, adding also the greater evil of the premiums on the paper 

.money which was profited of by those who had control of the 
piastres, and which, in their hands, became objects of speculation, 
destructive of the good of the Colony, and made these men abso- 
lute masters of the fortunes of the citizens and of the commerce. 
They forced, by their control, discount at eighty per cent, and, a 
few days later, thirty or forty per cent, as their interests dictated. 

Rapid fortunes made by some, caused the ruin of a great number of 
citizens, involving losses into the millions. The King himself lost 
considerably in the purchase of goods for the maintenance of his 

troops. He was paying at the rate of sixty and eighty per cent 



29 

dearer than he would have had to pay in good money. In con- 
clusion, as a result of all the monopolies, the colony was paying to 
those vampires four hundred thousand dollars every year, and the 
duties indirectly imposed upon the inhabitants and the commer 
set back the Colony, and put it in debt to such an extent, that ten 
years of crops would have been insufficient to extinguish its in- 
debtedness. 

PORTRAIT OF THE CREOLE. 

After having spoken of Louisiana and of its soil, we ought to 
say something of the Creoles who inhabit it ; and next, of the 
savages, and products of the country. 

Creoles are defined to be "the children of Europeans born in 
the colony." They, in general, measure about five feet six' inches 
in height ; they are all well shaped, and of agreeable figure ; the} 
are lively, alert and agile, and, notwithstanding the great heat of 
this climate, are laborious. They are born with ambition, and an 
honest self-esteem. They are endowed with a natural disposition 
for all sciences, arts and exercises that amuse society. They excei 
in dancing, fencing, hunting and in horsemanship. Nature has 
favored them with a penetrating and active mind, and they are 
capable of being easily instructed. The lack of teachers render- 
their education somewhat incomplete, and it must be said, in all 
justice, that among the many qualities which they possess are 
politeness, bravery and benevolence. They are good fathers, good 
friends and good kinsmen. 

The women, besides having the qualities above enumerated are 
agreeable in figure, and seldom deformed. They make good 
mothers, and are devoted to their husbands and their children : 
and in their marital relations seldom are they unfaithful. I must 
also add, that the stranger arriving in this wild and savage country 
will be surprised to see in this capital, as exist in all countries of 
Europe, brilliant assemblies where politeness, amiability and 
gayety reign supreme. 

PORTRAIT OF THE ABORIGINES OF LOUISIANA. 

The natives of the country, improperly called savages, form a 
nation divided into several tribes, differing in their customs, man- 
ners, and language. * They dwell almost all in cabins made of 
wood, rushes, or skins. Their huts form villages situated at con- 
siderable distances from one another, and it is to be supposed that 
they have placed their establishments at such distances according 
to the necessities of each tribe. They are neither agriculturalists 
nor shepherds. They live solely by hunting and fishing and by 
gathering fruits in the woods. It therefore necessitates great 
space from one village to another, so that the hunters of oiie set- 
tlement shall not be in the wav of the others. The savage is born 



30 

almost white, and he acquires his swarthiness and red color when 
he becomes older. As soon as he is able to walk, he is exposed to 
all, the inclemencies of the weather. Always naked, he travels 
without hat or clothing, in the burning sun. Ail his attire con- 
sists of a piece of cloth or skin that hides his nakedness. The 
women wear a small skirt which falls to the knees. I speak of 
those savages who live from the thirtieth' to the thirty-fifth degree 
of latitude. As to those living beyond, towards the North, neces- 
sity compels them to find the means of dressing better as the 
climate varies there, and there is found a difference in the customs. 

The savages who lived on the borders of the River were, on the 
arrival of the Europeans, very numerous. Now, they are in small 
numbers, the principal nations being as follows: The Ouachas, 
the Chetimaches, and the Houmas who live on the banks of the 
River from the 30th to the 32d degree of latitude. The other 
nations, living about the same degree of latitude towards the East, 
are as follows : The Choctaws, who are still numerous, having the 
same usages as the nations first named above. As regards those 
living in the West, under a burning sun, their wants are few. 
and their language composed perhaps of from two to three hun- 
dred words, is poor. They go about naked, and live by hunting 
and fishing. They recognize marriage, and polygamy exists 
among them. They can take as many wives as they can feed. 
The girls are mistresses of themselves, and enjoy their liberty as 
long as they want ; but, as soon as they contract marriage, they 
must behave well. Adultery is severely punished, as for example, 
When a woman is found guilty of that crime, all the young men 
of the village bring her in a prairie where she becomes the prey 
of all. Crime is punished by crime. As soon as she has under- 
gone that punishment, which is called "courir la prairie," or "run- 
ning the prairie," her nose and her hair are cut. After that, she 
re-enters the state of liberty and can make other matrimonial en- 
gagements. 

The Choctaws and the Tallapoosas cut the 'nose and ears of 
the young men who are caught in flagrante delictu with a mar- 
ried woman. That is called "giving the contract." Marriages 
are made among them without formality. To render a marriage 
valid, it is sufficient to obtain the consent of the contracting 
parties and members of the family, to whom the husband is bound 
to make presents. Neither contracts nor writings, such as are 
established among civilized nations to guarantee against bad faith, 
are known among them. The nations living beyond the thirty- 
second degree are, the Arkansas and the Tallapoosas. The Il- 
linois live on the fortieth degree. Those nations who dwell in a 
cold climate, where hunting and fishing abound are more civilized 
and better dressed than those first mentioned. Necessity obliges 
them to build with more solidity, to protect themselves against 
the rigors of winter, and they wear shoes and clothing made with 
the skins of deer ; and they wear leggins similar to stockings worn 
to the ankle. They have waistcoats, or jackets made of skin or 



31 

wool, according to their means. These clothes are often orna- 
mented with porcupine quills. 

The women are covered like the men, with the addition of a 
sort of skirt named "Alconante," w'hich comes to the knees. At 
the extremity of the skirt is a series of copper bells, which, by the 
noise they make announce them from afar. Their hair is plaited, 
and tied with a red ribbon. The ears of the men and women are 
cut in the shape of a semi-circle four inches in diameter, and they 
ornament them all around with lead and with a polis'hed bone serv- 
ing as an ear pendant. The men pierce their noses and attach a 
ring thereto like an ear-ring. The men and women paint their 
faces with vermillion, from the chin up to the top of the head. 
The men absolutely pull- all the hair off their heads, leaving only 
a small bunch on the top. Perfumery is much in use among 
them, the musk odor having the preference. The language of 
those people is more extended than that of the South. The savage^ 
Iving beyond the fortieth degree of latitude are more numerous, 
depending upon their associations with Europeans. The nearer 
they are North, better are they dressed and cleaner, and better 
civilized than those dwelling in the middle zone. As their wants 
and desires increase their language becomes more expanded. It 
must be observed that all the nations, more or less, living in the 
same degree of latitude, are similar in their usages and customs. 

CHARACTER OF THE SAVAGE. 

The Indian is mild, humane and considerate to strangers, and 
is generous ; never refusing food to those presenting themselves in 
his cabin ; even were they enemies. He is irregular about his 
meals and eats only when hungry, enduring thirst and hunger 
for a long time, according to circumstances. It often happens 
that an Indian remains fifteen days without eating. He wears a 
belt around his waist, which he pulls on tight when fasting, and 
as soon as he finds abundance of food he unfastens the belt and 
eats as much as he pleases, without experiencing the least ill 
results. 

RELIGION OF THE SAVAGE. 

The Indians are superstitious, and believe in amulets. They 
always carry on their persons some skeletons of birds which they 
deify, and to which they render particular worship. They believe 
in a Supreme Being, who has created everything, and who is 
composed of a good and a bad spirit. The essence of the first is 
benevolence, and no prayers are offered to the good Spirit. ( >i. 
the contrary, the evil Spirit is the one to be appealed to, because 
of its wickedness. 

LAWS OF THE SAVAGES. 

The laws of the savage are few in number, the enlightened code 
of laws of civilized nations being useless to them, as the distinc- 



32 

tion between mine, and thine is not great. Their wigwams, their 
wives, their guns and their beongings, their bows and arrows con- 
stitute all their property, which no one can dispute. Homicide is 
severely punished, and often, in this way: As soon as an. Indian 
kills another, the nation takes no part whatever in the matter, but 
leaves to the family of the deceased the right to avenge or punish. 
A few relatives of the deceased assemble to pass sentence and to 
take measures to apprehend and slay the murderer. They have 
the right to kill him wherever they meet him. The punishmen" 
accomplished, the matter rests there. The nation does not prose- 
cute the last murderers. 



WARS OF THE SAVAGES. 

The Indians are, generally, of a warlike nature. Those living" 
in Northern latitudes show more courage. They possess, in a 
wonderful degree the power of enduring hunger and thirst in 
campaigns of war. It is common to see warriors travel four Tiun- 
dred leagues with the purpose simply to slay an enemy. Often 
hidden in bushes, they wait seven or eight days without budging, 
until a favorable opportunty presents itself, to accomplish their 
deed. Their wars are simply assassinations, as they seldom openly 
attack their enemies. It is always by treachery and surprise that 
they execute their plans. As soon as the desired end has been 
attained, they scalp, or take off the hair of the vanquished, and 
then they run as fast as they can, night and day, until they reach 
their village, where they enter with their trophies, and yelling 
with all their might, they proclaim their victory. The number of 
scalps brought is evidence of victory ; for, without those gory 
trophies, there would be doubts of the prowess of the warriors. 
Every time an Indian kills an enemy, he has a right to cause to 
be tattooed on his body certain signs or symbols designating his 
valorous deeds. These marks are indellible, and are pricked on 
some part of the body of the warrior by means of sharp instru- 
ments which penetrate deep through the skin. Over the designs 
or figures, a red powder is sprinkled, or some powder of any 
other color, conformably to the tint most acceptable to the war- 
rior, who had distinguished himself, and who had thus acquired 
great consideration in his village. If an Indian is glib of tongue 
he becomes the chief, and by that means all nations are governed. 
Not by the right of birth, but by virtue of merit is the chief 
selected. The chiefs have great power and influence in the coun- 
cils of the nation, and they are always sustained by the old men 
who have distinguished themselves. The councils and delibera- 
tions of these assemblies, and even those of the chiefs, are never 
despotic, but serve to hold the nation together by good advice. 
They submit their deliberations to the nation, if they so desire, 
but they are not obliged to do so. 



33 

THE CHIEFS. 

The Chiefs are listened to by the Indians in proportion to their 
reputation and persuasive powers. Those who are the hardiest 
take charge of leading their partisans to war; and when war is 
decided on, the war-party plant their hatchets or small axes into 
a post standing in the middle of the village. Those who want to 
follow the leaders, likewise plant their hatchets, and then they 
must submit to the orders of the chief, who leads them to war 
with all the prudence and care possible. The main object of the 
leader is to spare his men, and upon his skill in that direction his 
reputation depends. He will never attack the enemy if he thinks 
he will lose one man in battle. He tries solely to surprise the 
enemy, to strike blows without receiving any. Often, to be cer- 
tain of the result, he consults his Manitou, a god made of bone 
of a weasel or of feathers of the crow. According to impressions 
received, he attacks or retreats, sometimes after a long and tedious 
travel of from two to three hundred leagues. A single bad dream 
from one of the men will produce the same effect. When one 
side has the advantag over the other they treat their enemies most 
cruelly. The dead are mutilated, and the tuft of hair with scalp 
adhering is removed and carried off as a trophy. 

TORTURE OF PRISONERS. 

Prisoners are led to the village and burned to death. The 
usual custom is to tie the prisoner to a post. His hands are 
bound, but his legs are free, and he can move about and turn 
around the post. 

The men and women of the village torture the unfortunate with 
redhot irons and glowing firebrands. These proceedings some- 
times last two solid hours and during that time the sufferer glori- 
fies himself, sings war songs and utters invectives against his 
tormentors. At last his strength fails after so much suffering and 
he drops. Then one of the warriors advances towards him and 
finishes him up with a lance or hatchet. During that scene, 
which is a sort of a show or spectacle for the nation, the patient 
continues his insults against his conquerors, defies them in his 
pain and accuses them of being bunglers in torture. 

The writer of this was an eye witness to one of those cruel 
scenes of firmness on the part of the prisoner, and of barbarity on 
the part of the men and women who took part in these perform- 
ances ; and the writer also saw one who had removed the heart 
of one of those unfortunates to devour it, all raw and bloody. 
Fortunately, all the prisoners do not undergo the same operation. 
There are some who escaped such torture, either by marrying 
women of the nation who had lost their husbands, or by being 
ransomed by the Europeans. In the latter case, the rescued men 
are not happy, because they are made slaves. When the province 
was under French dominion, slavery existed, but the King of 



34 

Spain, apprised of the hardships which his subjects inflicted on 
the poor Indians, wisely abolished the practice of slavery. The 
consequences might prove detrimental to some of those unfortu- 
nates, but surely the colony will be protected from all sorts of in- 
trigues and abuses which are concocted against the good of 
humanity. I have said before, that the Indians were improperly 
called savage, and this assertion is borne out by the fact that 
they reason, and conduct themselves with policy in their affairs 
and those of the nation, in a manner to surprise those who have 
not had occasion to study and frequent them, and who, by the 
term "savage" had pictured to themselves a being that was brutal 
and barbarous. That name is appropriate when the Indian is 
drunk. Unfortunately, the eagerness of the Europeans for gain 
causes them to furnish the Indians with strong drink, which de- 
prives them of their reason, and will eventually prove their de- 
struction. 

LOVE OF THE INDIANS FOR THEIR CHILDREN. 

The Indians are much attached to their children and they love 
them passionately. They seldom reprimand them for faults, and 
it is a fact worthy of notice that the attachment of fathers ana 
mothers for their children varies in different localities. The na- 
tions living in warm regions appear to be affectionate towards 
their children in a larger degree than those dwelling in colder 
regions. These remarks hold good also in regard to Europeans 
born in the same degrees of latitude. 

NOBLE CONDUCT OF A HOUMA SAVAGE. 

In 1760 a Houma Indian killed a Choctaw Indian. The Choc- 
taw Nation was preparing to obtain vengeance. A detachment 
of fifty men advanced towards the Houma Nation, and demanded 
satisfaction. The two Nations were then living in harmony and 
peace with each other. One of the Choctaws, speaking for his 
people, said that this was a personal affair, and was conducted 
without the sanction of the Nation ; that, in order to keep good 
feeling between the two Nations, the only thing they demanded 
was for the Houmas to give up the head of the murderer. This 
was assented to, and as preparations were being made for the 
execution of the murderer, and he was about to be seized, his 
father, an octogenarian, addressing his people, said that his son 
was young, and had many small children dependent upon him for 
support, and was young and vigorous and fit to render valuable 
service to his Nation ; and it would be wise to spare the young 
man's life, and to offer to the Choctaws another head in his 
stead. The old man offered his own head for that of his son, 
adding that as an old man he was now worthless to his Nation. 
The proposition was accepted, and thus, the sacrifice of the 
father for, his son brought peace between the two Nations. 



35 

The Indians love their parents and their fellow-countrymen. 
They care for the old. It happens, however, among some of the 
Nations living in the North that when their fathers and mothers 
become burdens to them, by reason of old age, they kill them or 
abandon them to die in a deserted place. That barbarity exist- 
only among the Laytannies, the Pawnies, the Mohas, and the 
Chieries, and other wandering tribes, who follow the droves of 
wild animals which they hunt for their food. 

INDIAN WOMAN MOTHER OF TWINS. 

The Indian is not prolific. Seldom is there seen a woman who 
is mother of five or six children. It often happens that an Indian 
woman, who gives birth to twins, exposes one of them to perish. 
The current belief is, that such barbarity took its origin from the 
fact that the mother would find it difficult to feed both children 
at the same time. 

FUNERAL OF THE SAVAGE. 

Several Nations bury their dead under the cabins in which they 
have dwelt. They put in the grave all the weapons, knives, and 
pipes and other movable effects the deceased possessed during life. 
At the end of a certain time the dead are disinterred, and the 
bones are gathered, and then kept in the cabins of relatives. The 
Choctaws and all the Northern Nations expose the dead bodies on 
scaffoldings in the plains, and, as soon as the flesh is in a suffi- 
cient state of decomposition, to permit the bones to be easily de- 
tached, then the bones are brought to the relatives of the deceased, 
by men who specially do the business of detaching bones ; and, as 
the task is finished they are compensated for their labor. 

The Indians consecrate one day in each year in memory of 
their dead. They spend the day in decorating the graves and in 
chanting mournful songs. They often have their faces and 
almost all parts of their bodies painted black. We have forgotten 
to say that, sometimes it is seen that relatives of the deceased 
bring, each day, during fifteen days, consecutively, something for 
their dead to eat, just as if they were living. 

INDIAN GAMES. 

The Indians are exceedingly fond of sports. It is common to 
see them lose all their possessions on the hazards of a game. 
Their favorite game is called "Raquette," and it is a ball game in 
which thev display skill and bodily strength and speed in foot- 
racing. The contestants form sides. The winners tear off" the 
clothes of their adversaries. 

AMUSEMENTS OF THE SAVAGES. 

In all Indian villages there are festivals, feasts and dances con- 
secrated to religion. For example, the day fixed for harvesting of 



86 

the Indian corn, which is a sort of Turkish wheat. Indian nations 
in general cultivate the corn a little, though they do not pile it up 
in stores for food. Their principal food products are derived from 
hunting and fishing. Independently of some religious observances 
they have other amusements or business which they have to trans- 
act for the interest of the Nation ; and in all those cases the affa ; r 
winds up in eating well and dancing. Every man invited at a 
feast, cannot, without insult, refuse to eat the portions served to 
him, and if he cannot eat all, he has to pay some one to finish 
it up. 

MUSIC OF THE SAVAGES. 

The musical instruments of the Indians consist of a small fife, 
a drum made out of a calabash covered with skin and little bells 
all around. An instrument called Chiciqua, being a small 
calabash containing some pebbles and large grains of lead, is 
held in the hands and shaken, keeping time for the dancers. The 
sound is painful and fatiguing to unaccustomed ears. The beat- 
ing of the time is very well observed. Those dances ordinarily 
represent love and war. Seldom the savages let night pass away 
without procuring themselves that amusement. It would be indeed 
extraordinary to approach their village without hearing the sounds 
of these instruments, and the cries of joy the Indians make. 

DANCE OF THE CHAVANNOS. 

There are Nations who add dancing to the other amusements. 
The men and women of the Chavannos assemble every night in a 
place where a fire is built, and they, hand in hand, dance around 
the fire during one or two hours. At the end of that time, one of 
the women charged to keep up the fire, suddenly extinguishes it ; 
and then each man catches the first woman he can lay hands on, 
without any objection on the part of the husband. 

RELIGION OF THE SAVAGES. 

The Indians inhabiting the West, believe almost all in metam- 
psychosis; and they pay hommage to bones of animals, and of- 
fering propitiation in the shape of tobacco, pipes and often some- 
thing to eat. There are some who are fire-worshippers, and who 
adore the Sun, in this way : The small and great Oracles paint 
their faces and all their body in black at the time of the setting 
of the sun, and in anticipation of daylight, they keep vigil, and 
from time to time utter frightful cries. As soon as the sun ap- 
pears at the horizon, they go in bathing and meanwhile cry out 
loud invocations and prayers. After that, for the rest of the day 
they devote themselves to their customary amusements and occu- 
pations. 

REFLECTIONS ON THE LIFE OF THE SAVAGE. 

The life of the savage is mild and quiet, and if anything dis- 
turbs his rest it is war, when it unexpectedly confronts him ; other- 



\ 



37 

wise, he is free from uneasiness. The cares of the future never 
worry him. He lives from day to day, without thinking of the 
morrow. Fishing and hunting in the woods furnish the Indian 
with the means of supporting himself. Roughly nurtured he can 
do without many things that we would consider indispensable. 

His domicile is never contested by another. His home is every- 
where. Ambition can never trouble his soul. He is satisfied with 
what he possesses. His wants are ordinary, and he knows how to 
satisfy them. With his bow and arrow or his firearms, if he has 
any of the latter, he supplies his wants. Of law and its multiple 
branches among civilized nations, he knows nothing. The few- 
laws which he is obliged to observe are founded on natural laws. 
very seldom trouble his mind, and when they have to be followed 
it is without murmur. Future life does not bother the Indian 
much, and if he adopts any creed it is for the purpose of enjoy- 
ing perfect life, free from all vexations which occupy a man to 
whom the code of morals is an actuality. 

We must not wonder, then, if the Indian lives to an old age, as 
he is exempt from the bodily ills that afflict the European race, s ( ' 
burdened with sorrow and with the cares of civilized life, so full 
of requirements and of many things which constitute his wearing 
apparel, and which are in the way of the free circulation of 
healthy blood, compelling nature to make efforts to surmount the 
obstacles thrown in her path. From what we have related above, 
we will leave you to draw your conclusions, now, whether, leav- 
ing aside the question of religion, the physical man is happier 
than the moral man. 

MEDICINE OF THE INDIANS. 

The Indians have doctors who treat their sick by means of 
simples, or herbs, which in many cases are very efficacious, and in 
the administering of which they have considerable mummery, and 
superstitious gestures, songs and words. The doctor among the 
Indians is held to cure the sick person. If he has the good for- 
tune to succeed, he is liberally compensated ; but if he fails, then 
the relatives of the deceased have the right to despoil the poor 
doctor of all he possesses. Such a custom would never do for 
our present faculty. Nevertheless, whatever might be said on the 
subject, the usages of the Indians in such cases are founded on 
natural right. Their doctors excel in surgery. There are few- 
sores resulting from fractures, and from wounds that do not 
readily yield to the "herb'' treatment. I saw a savage wounded 
by a bullet that went through his body, piercing the intestines. As 
soon as he fell the doctors stuffed the wound with herbs to arrest 
the flow of blood, and they carried him to a place of safety. As 
soon as they reached the place they reopened the wound, put 
water in their mouths and then forced through the wound a 
quantity of that water. After that they took him by the arms and 
legs and shook him for a long time. They kept on the process of 



38 

forcing water into the wound and balancing the body until the 
water oozed out without being stained with blood. The doctors 
continued dressing the wound the next day, and sucked the 
wound, which healed in six days. I also saw an Indian who had 
been entirely cured from an injury, a blow that had shattered to 
pieces the bones of his arm. The doctor or surgeon extracted all 
the broken pieces of bone and when the wound had healed, there 
remained but the flesh and nerves. Internal ailments are treated 
by scarifications, by sucking, by sweats or profuse perspiration, 
which are induced by placing the patient into a small cabinet in 
which" red-hot stones are enclosed. The savage knows about 
several uncompounded substances, simples, which would be the 
fortune of our apothecaries if the Indians would reveal the reme- 
dies and the mode of using them. But they are averse to divulg- 
ing their secrets, for they have the superstitious belief that, by 
disclosing those secrets to others than relatives, the remedies 
would become of no value in the use which might be made of 
them in the future. The Indians, male and female, make a great 
use of water. They bathe at all seasons of the year. One shivers 
at seeing them, in the depth of winter, break the ice on the water- 
courses in order to get the water for bathing. 

As soon as a child is born, its mother plunges it into water, 
whatever be the temperature and then bathes herself. European 
doctors would consider that act as fatal to the child and to the 
mother, but it is a fact that they suffer no inconvenience there- 
from. 

I believe that it prevents diseases which attack the children of 
Europeans. For instance, the negro women, who act differently, 
by keeping their new-born babies in a moderate degree of heat, 
cause their babies to contract a disease called lockjaw, which kills 
one out of fifteen on an average. That disease is a sort of spasm 
which stiffens the limbs of the unfortunates, who, after seven or 
eight days, die in horrible pain. 

EDUCATION OF THE INDIAN. 

\\ lien an Indian child is born it is placed in a wicker basket 
with a hole in the middle, so as to permit the infant to perform 
his natural functions without soiling itself; and the child is cov- 
ered with some cloth or skin. The mother carries the basket on 
her back, and on arriving at her destination she takes off her 
burden, and hooks it on to a tree. The child, having its limbs free, 
can move them as he pleases ; this is done so as to permit the child 
to develop its limbs, and thus nature is assisted and the child be- 
comes what he should be in the usual course of nature. The only 
bond is a ligature above the knee so as to mould the leg. The 
result of this practice is that an Indian always has good sound 
legs. Seldom is one seen deformed, crooked or misshapen. As 
soon as the child is able to move about, he is put on the ground, 
where he does what he pleases. When he has attained the age of 
five or six, he is exercised in wrestling, running, and in the use 



39 



he is'taken w! nZT'^l aS '" deveI ° ps in a " e a » d in length 
lie is taken out to the hunt or to war by the older Indians. 

PRODUCTS OF LOUISIANA. 

Louisiana, on account of its extent of territory and its divert v 
o fchmate, produces not only the fruits indigenous to i but n an v 
that are grown in Europe, such as wheat, which grows n refuse v 
from th e 34 th to the 50th degree of latitude; and pmSyfurther 
if it was cultivated, it would thrive. The wild grapevine s to be 

^tlTl^'f the . vari ^. Ranges as Suedes toward 
me pole, drapes are growing, which, in certain localities an 
proach in quality those of Europe. The other ruts follow the 

IZL^S^Zr'^X ^ 1°^ ^ ° f ^ude areTound 

appies, peais, cherries, chestnuts and other kind of nuts- and ri, P v 

pecan tiee, bearing a sort of small nut, which is excellent Mini 

^i:vr^r,r m and are to * -* £E 

ox rivers and m all localities near water courses The oat th. 

cid th ^7rf s ron! le th wiIlow ' ?r dar ' iive ° ak - d 2^& 

of helllnoTsmake^v^ of , the ™ a P le ^ that the inhabitants 
of March ?£f tj Y - ?°° d and fra ^ rant su ^ ar - h the month 

cum t0 °„ p - t£%T£ e £ Kt r grow '" *^*»' 

fc h r r s tofts rkstM; 

XacHo H e m ° n ! h of March to 1" month ff November " 

COMMERCE OF LOUISIANA. 
sh^/I%ic: 'tobacco tlrl " iId beaSt u S ' timber ' lHmb ". P>»1«- 



S 



40 

high price of labor and the great cost of buying negro slaves, who 
are the only laborers able to stand the heat of the climate. It is 
supposed that, as the population increases, these various articles 
of commerce will be taken care of. About one hundred leagues 
from the capital are found the zinsin, ginger, the pepper of Vir- 
ginia, aromatics of all sorts ; sudorifics like chinaroot, sassafras, 
sarsaparilla, black snake-root, rhubarb, jalap-root; copal gum of 
very superior quality. All of these commodities are a source of 
very profitable commerce to the community. The lumber from 
the cypress trees is of excellent quality and much in demand in the 
islands and even in all America. France never will realize the ad- 
vantages above enumerated, and they are known only through the 
impetus given by the Spaniards to these different articles. 

QUADRUPEDS IN LOUISIANA. 

The quadrupeds, such as cows, horses, sheep, hogs, goats, im- 
ported from Europe, have considerably multiplied in all parts of 
Louisiana. In the woods are found wild cattle resembling drome- 
daries, and having humps on their backs. Their heads, to the 
shoulders, are covered with wool, which would be a valuable 
material for manufacture in Europe. The flesh of these animals is , 
excellent. There are seen prodigious quantities of roe, deer, and 
bears. The fat or oil of the bear is used for cooking. 

The ferocious beasts, such as tigers, wild-cats (the latter a sort 
of leopard and very common), which were hitherto very numerous, 
are diminishing in proportion to the increase in population and of 
establishments. A large number of these animals are hunted and 
killed merely, for the sake of their hide and tallow, while the 
carcasses are left to the wolves and foxes, which are very com- 
mon. 

WINGED ANIMALS. 

Chickens, pigeons, turkeys, the common ducks and those from 
the Indies have considerably increased. Besides these, there is the 
wild turkey, perfectly similar to those of Europe. Wild ducks, 
teal ducks, arrive in autumn in great clouds, and are very good 
to eat. Wild birds and robins are plentiful. Woodcocks, snipes, 
and quantities of other aquatic birds give the hunters plenty of 
sport. Partridges are small. Pheasants are found in several 
places ; some partridges are not larger than the quail of Europe. 

BIRDS. 

The crow, the turtle-dove, the ring pigeon, abound in the Ar- 
kansas and in the Illinois. Sometimes, the ring pigeons descend 
to New Orleans ; but the others do not. The hazel hen is common. 

It is really in this part of the country that are to be found the 
most beautiful birds, such as the Pope, a small bird like the spar- 
row in size. It has a plumage of various colors — red, green and 



41 

violet, and it is a pretty singer. The mockingbird is larger than 
the Pope. It has been given its name because it can imitate the 
songs of other birds and the cries of animals. It sings admirably. 
The Cardnai is a little larger than the Pope. Its plumage is red. 
and its song is sweet and agreeable. The Bishop is about the size 
of the others, and has a violet plumage, and its melody is charm- 
ing. Besides those mentioned above are to be seen the birds found 
in Europe. 

There is a bird on this continent about the size of a turkey, and 
of such light Might that it hovers in the air almost motionless. It 
flies through space rapidly and apparently without moving its 
wings. Their habitations are hardly known. They are seen only 
when carcasses are buried on the high road. Then they come from 
all directions and they disappear as soon as they have devoured 
the carcass. Those who have studied the habits of these birds are 
surprised at the promptness with which they came, as soon as soma 
dead animal cumbers the ground. Those birds, called Carencro: 
(Turkey-Buzzards), are immediately seen hovering in the air 
over the exact spot where lies the carrion, which it has discovered 
by the sense of smell, with which they must be endowed to an ex- 
traordinary degree to enable them to smell at great distances. 

I saw on a trip I made to Arkansas and to the Illinois, an extra- 
ordinary bird. I was going through a vast prairie, and as I was 
about to reach a stream, I saw a gray bird about the size of a 
chicken walking ahead of me. As I was on the point of reaching 
the bird, it stopped, hid its head under its wing, and presented to 
me the appearance of a round ball, with feathers erect and sharp- 
ponted, like small spears, which could not be touched without pain. 
That extraordinary transformation arrested my attention for a 
moment, but being fatigued from my long journey, I refrained 
from pursuing my investigations any further. 

STINKING ANIMAL. 

There is found, on the banks of the Mississippi, a curious quad- 
ruped resembling the weasel. When it sees anything which 
frightens or which may injure it, it remains motionless, always 
turning its rear part to the object it fears, and when near enough, 
it ejects into the face or the body of the adversary a deluge of 
some stinking fluid, the odor of which is unbearable. Any man 
receiving that dose, has to seek, without delay, some water or 
anything to get rid of that awful smell. The animal then takes 
advantage of the discomfiture of its enemy, and gets away, and 
thus finds safety in flight. 

Apropos of that animal I will narrate a little incident which 
happened while I was making my first trip, by river, to the Il- 
linois. The boat I was commanding was compelled to hug the 
shore on account of the swift current in midstream. As we were 
passing very near the banks of the river we saw a small cavity, in 
that hole we saw one of those animals, seemingly awaiting our 



42 

approach. When near enough, it flung against us that nauseating 
stuff, and we became so sick that we immediately sought the land, 
to disinfect our clothes and the boat. Water, vinegar, strong 
liquors were used, in vain, but the odor remained with us for 
more than fifteen days, with great tenacity. 

REPTILES. 

Louisiana has, in all its vast extent, snakes, vipers of several 
kinds, the bite of which is mortal. The rattlesnake, so named 
because of the number of knotted rattles at the end of its tail, upon 
which one rattle grows every year and serves a guide to the age 
of the snake, which, as soon as it sees something that disturbs it, 
shakes its tail, and the rattling clearly announces the presence of 
the dangerous animal. It is well to heed the warning, and not 
to be too preoccupied, for the rattlesnake is most frightful, venom- 
ous and dangerous. 

There is also the black snake, which has a flat head. Spiders 
are also found in the woods. Their sting is poisonous and fatal, 
causing the same mortal symptoms as the bite of the tarantula. 

AMPHIBIOUS ANIMALS. 

There are many amphibious snakes. Besides many other am- 
phibious animals, .as in Europe, there are turtles of several species. 

The Crocodiles, said to be diminutives to those of the Nile, are 
very numerous. Seldom is there a pool of water without some of 
them being seen in it. They inhabit the rivers, the watercourses, 
and the sea. On account of the abundance of fish they find for 
food, they are less dangerous here, than elsewhere. I have seen 
hungry crocodiles run after certain animals which they easily de- 
vour. Even men have been attacked by them. They have in- 
credible strength in the water. But the harm they occasion is not 
great considering their large numbers. 

The crocodile has the shape of a large fish, without any fins. 
Some of the creatures are more than twelve feet long, and seven 
to eight inches in diameter. Their head is long — like that of the 
pike — and they have large, cavernous jaws, very deep and set with 
double rows of large and very pointed teeth. They live most of 
the time in the water where they get their food, but can eat only 
on land. Their ordinary prey is fish or some land animal which 
is surprised and killed as it goes to the water-edge to drink or to 
bathe. 

I will here narrate an incident which happened within my ex- 
perience, showing the cunning and voracity of the crocodile. A 
negro woman who was washing clothes on a bridge near the 
water's edge was perceived by a crocodile, which came swiftly 
swimming just under the surface of the water, and he tried to 
snap her by the hand; but she saw the creature and ran away. 
The crocodile, after several unsuccessful attempts, finding he 



43 



could not accomplish his end, passed under the bridge and caueht 
the negro woman's clothes from behind. Luckily, I wS3 
with my gun, and as she yelled I flew to her" rescue an elease 
her from the clutches of that beast which would ™ doub 

I was about to omit the statement that there is in this countrv a 
brge number of squirrels, of different species, amon^Xn the 
ftymg sqiurrel, which is smaller than the others and has a skin 

tffitt'Ji Pit ° f V he f r' egS " ™ds'at the^bdom m 
inat skin is like a big flap so that when the animal darts forwnrrl 

fly^SceTbir^ '° ' ree ' " eXPandS ' a " d «" squirre1 a s r e S em°sT o a be 



END. 






/ 1903 



LlBRA RY OF CONGRESS 




014 543 149 9 



